I have lived in the West (Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, Utah) and VA with a 1 year stopover in OK where my father was stationed in USAF. and I can say with no hesitation, I would much rather be back west, if I could only pull the same salary. it's a situation where one sacrifices in order to make enough to keep the family fed and sheltered. otherwise I would go back west and just suck it up.. Unfortunately, the salaries are so much lower, I just can't do it..

you should have posted a week earlier, i just returned from Bristol, and i spent the last few days *bored* out of my mind. like OMG, we went to the Wallmart every day, and i couldn't buy booze on Sunday (WTF?). AAaaarrrgghhhh, it will take me a week to recover from being in Bristol for a week.